FURIOUS residents are fighting plans to site a depot dealing with clinical waste, including human tissue and blood, near their homes.

Crewe and Nantwich mayor Howard Curran has spoken of his'deepconcern' overthebidto create a major transfer station backing on to homes in Crewe.

The unit on the Marshfield Bank Industrial Estate would become a central collection and transfer operation for all manner of potentially hazardous materials collected from GP surgeries across Cheshire.

Waste from operations and treatments, including bodily fluids, excretions, drugs, swabs, dressings, syringes, needles and other sharp instruments, would be transported from the site to an incinerator in Wrexham.

It would be moved in sealed containers but residents are worried about spillages being blown into gardens and the risk to health from smells and flies.

MarshfieldAvenueresidentEd Metcalfe, who is helping to organise a petition, said: 'It would be a gruesome operation and far too close to homes.

'Our main fear is the risk to health from airborne pollution smells and the possible use of pressure washers, which will create plumes of contaminated mists dispersing over a large number of properties.

'We also fear there could be accidents on site involving burst containers, which will lead to swabs, soiled dressings and other contaminatedmaterialsbeing blown into gardens and roads around the Marshfield Bank housing estate, and accidents when this waste is being transported and unloaded.'

Planning permission is being sought by Intercare Distribution Services, a transport company in Leighton.

In its submission to the council, it said: 'We do think the measures of control required to set up and process such a transfer station will more than meet any concerns.

'The transfer will take place behind closed doors and we will ensure there is no sound or odour in the transfer process.'

But Cllr Curran said: 'People need to know a lot more. Apart from health issues, they need to know about traffic movements and why this facility has to be in Crewe.'

Heplansto stageapublicmeeting after gaining more information.

Cheshire County Council is gathering views. It will decide the planning application because of its environmental importance.

Spokesman Steve Malloy said: 'Letters have gone out to homes up to 100 metres of the proposed site, for comment within 21 days.'